The assessment of population doses from X-ray examination in USSR (1970-1980)

Population dose from X-ray diagnostic examinations has been estimated in the USSR for 1970-1980 years. The estimation based on the analyses of frequency, structure, age and sex-distributions of X-ray procedures as well as on computed values of mean organ doses from these procedures. Collective effective dose equivalent to adult from diagnostic radiology in the USSR was 1.36, 1.38 and 1.35 mSv/man-year in 1970, 1975 and 1980 correspondingly. This stability (in spite of growing frequency of procedures) may be explained by the intensive decrease in the number of fluoroscopic examinations (from 42.1% in 1970 to 13.5 in 1980). During 10 years the mean population doses to red bone marrow, lungs, mammary glands and bone surfaces were decreased (by 15-30%), those to skin didn't changed and to thyroid, gonads and the ''remainder'' were increased (by 30-60%). The most irradiated organ was lung (4.07 and 3.05 mSv/man-year, in 1970 and 1980 respectively) the least irradiated - male gonads (0.09 and 0.14 mSv/man-year